Rotatable component delivery table



July 9, 1968 Filed Dec. 18. 1964 D. FfHA Ys JR ROTATABLE COMPONENTDELIVERY TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IWENWR DONALD E M75 D. F. HAYS, JR

,RO'IATABLE COMPONENT DELIVERY TABLE July 9, 1968 4 Sheets-$heet 2 NM/VENWP am d/.0 F. #4 Y5 ex L'r.

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ex A) United States Patent 3,391,473 ROTATABLE COMPONENT DELIVERY TABLEDonald F. Hays, In, Westerville, Ohio, assignor to InternationalResearch and Development Corporation, Worthington, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Filed Dec. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 419,298 4 Claims. (Cl. 35-13)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A component delivery table having a rotatabletray is equipped with detachable bins which can be mounted to theperimeter of the tray to extend outboard from the tray. For each of thedetachable bins there is an indexing element which will arrest therotation of the tray when that one of the detachable bins is presentedin an accessible location for the operation.

This invention concerns a rotatable component delivery table which isespecially adapted for use in the assembly of multi-component articles.The present rotatable component delivery table is useful by itself inthe assembly of single multi-component articles and also is useful incombination with a rotatable Work assembly table for the assembly ofduplicate multi-component articlesv Component delivery stables and theirutility are described in U.S. Patent 3,154,865. The prior art componentdelivery table includes compartmented rotatable trays and utilizes drivemeans which are located outboard of the tray.

The present component delivery table has the following features:

The drive means are disposed inboard of a rotatable circular tray;

The circular tray is adapted to receive a plurality of standard binsabout its circumference for the components which are delivered by thetable;

Each individual bin has an associated indexing element which serves toarrest rotation of the tray when that bin is delivered to apredetermined point of the circular locus of tray rotation.

The present invention, its objects and advantages, will be more fullydescribed by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective illustration of the present component deliverytable;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the present component delivery table with thetable surface partly broken-away;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective illustration of a typical component bin whichis well-known in the art;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective illustration of a combination clip member androtation-arresting element;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-section illustration, taken along theline 55 of FIGURE 6, showing the present component delivery tableshowing the manner of fastening a typical bin and the rotation-arrestingoperation of the clip member;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the undersurface of the present componentdelivery table showing the arrangement of various elements in relationto the bin delivery tray;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section view taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 6showing the present component delivery table and various elements;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic wiring diagram for the present componentdelivery table;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective illustration of the present component deliverytable in operative combination with a rotatable work assembly table;

3,391,473 Fatented July 9, 1968 FIGURE 10 is a plan view of therotatable work assembly table of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-section view taken along the line 1111 of FIGURE 10showing the rotatable work assembly table; and

FIGURE 12 is a schematic wiring diagram for the rotatable work assemblytable of FIGURES 9 through 11.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a component delivery table 10according to this invention. The table 10 includes a working surface 11an under carriage 12, a rotatably mounted tray 13 to which a pluralityof individual bins 14 is secured. If desired, a chart 15 for operatorinstructions may be provided. A suitable as sembly jig 16 is provided onthe working surface 11 for retaining an incomplete multi-componentarticle 17 which is to be assembled. The assembly operator is indicatedin phantom outline and is identified by the numeral 18.

As seen in FIGURE 2, the tray 13 is rotatable about a generally verticalaxis indicated by X. Each of the individual bins 14 is secured inoutboard relation to the tray 13 by means of a clip 19. It will beobserved that the tray 13 has come to rest with the forwardmost bin 14apresented beyond the front edge 20 of the working surface 11 where thecontents of the forwardmost bin 14a are readily accessible to theoperator 18. The individual bins 14 are readily available in commerce.The bin 14, as seen in FIGURE 3, includes generally parallel side walls21 with hook-like hanger extensions 22. A front wall 23, a back wall 24and a bottom wall 25 complete the bin 14. The front wall 23, the backwall 24 and bottom wall. 25, may in some instances, be formed from asingle piece of metal. A component-level maintaining baflle plate 9frequently extends between the side walls 21. The construction of thesecommercially available bins 14 forms no part of the present invention.

A clip member 19, shown in FIGURE 4, has a general U-shape with a trayengaging surface 26 and a bin engaging surface 27. The bin engagingsurface 27 has an outwardly bent flange 28 at its bottom edge tofacilitate en try of the bins back wall 24 into the opening of the clip19. The tray engaging surface 26 is provided with a protuberance 29which extends inboard of the tray engaging surface 26 toward the axis oftray rotation X. The protuberance 29 is a position-indexing elementwhich serves as 'a rotation-arresting element for the rotatable tray 19when the bin 14 (to which the clip 19 under consideration is afiixed) ispresented in the forwardmost position, such as the bin 14a in FIGURE 1and FIGURE 6.

The relationship of the individual bin 14a and the tray 13 can be seenin FIGURE 5. The tray 13 includes a circular base 3-0 and an uprightcircular side wall 31 with an upper rim 32. The tray 13 rests upon aplurality of support bearings 33 having a large diameter base portion 34and a smaller diameter upper portion 35. The support bearings 33 arerotatably secured to the under carriage 12 by means of a screw and aredisposed in a circular locus about the axis of rotation X. The circularbase rests upon the top of the base portion 34 and the tray side wall 31engages the cylindrical side wall of the upper portion 35 of the supportbearing 33. Thus the support bearings 33 rotatably support the tray 13for rotation about the axis X. Preferably the support bearings 33 arefabricated from suitable plastic substances such as nylon.

Preferably the rotatable tray 13 is fabricated as a stamping from asingle sheet of metal. IS-gauge coldrolled steel stampings have beenfound suitable for the tray 13.

Mounted beneath the working surface 11 is a motor 36 connected through areducing gear train 37 to a drive wheel 33 which is in peripheralengagement with the side 3 wall 31 of the tray 13 adjacent to thecircular base 30. It will be observed from FIGURE 7 that the drive wheel38 engages the side wall 31 below the level of the protuberance 29 ofthe clip 19. Also secured beneath the working surface 11 are a relay 39,a sensing switch 40 and a junction box 41. A source of electrical poweris available through the electrical plug 42. An operator controlledtreadle switch 43 extends beneath the component delivery table for footoperation by the operator 18.

Operation When the operator 18 closes the treadle switch 43, therotatable tray 13 and its associated bins 14 commence rotation until thenext succeeding one of the bins 14 is presented in the forwardmostposition for ready access by the operator 18. The rotation of the tray13 is instantly arrested and the forwardly presented bin 14 remains inthe forwardmost position until the operator 18 closes the treadle switch43 to recommence rotation of the tray 13.

It will be observed that the sensing switch has a pivotal arm 44 whichcan be engaged by each of the protuberances 29 which are theposition-indexing elements. This can be seen in FIGURES 5 and 6 whereinthe protuberance 29 is in engagement with the pivotal arm 44. It will beobserved (FIGURE 6) that movement of the tray 13 in a clockwisedirection will disengage the protuberance 29 from the pivotal arm 44 andallow the resiliently mounted pivotal arm 44 to extend outwardly untilit is engaged by the next-in-line one of the bins 14, through theprotuberance 29 of the related clip 19.

Electrical circuitry The electrical circuitry shown in FIGURE 8, for thepresent component delivery table includes the relay 39, the motor 36,the sensing switch 40, and the treadle switch 43. The relay 39 has arelay coil and two relay switches 46, 47 which are mechanically gangedas shown. The first relay switch 46 includes an open contact 48 and amotor contact 49. The second relay switch 47 includes an open contactand a sensing contact 51. A sensing switch 40 has a relay switch contact52 and a motor contact 53. The treadle switch 43 has an open contact 54and a relay coil contact 55. The electrical power source is designatedby the plug 42 which is adapted for connection with a power supply.

The electrical circuitry shown in FIGURE 8 is illustrated in its normalposition representing switch positions during a stationary dwell period.It will be seen that neither the motor 36 nor the coil 45 of the relay39 is connected to the power source in this normal position.

The operator activates the circuit by depressing the treadle switch 43to engage the contact and close a first electrical circuit including thetreadle switch 43 and the relay coil 45, thus sending current throughthe relay coil 45 and causing both relay switches 46, 47 to move toactivated positions at contacts 49, 51 respectively. A second electricalcircuit is closed thereby including a conductor 56, the first relayswitch 46 and the motor 36. Likewise a third electrical circuit isclosed including the sensing switch 40, a conductor 57, the second relayswitch 47 and the relay coil 45. Through the third electrical circuitthe relay coil 45 remains energized after the treadle switch 43 hasdisengaged from the relay contact 55 and returned to the open contact54. The said first, second and third electrical circuits or paths areparallel with one another between the terminals C and D. The sensingswitch 40 is normally biased to engagement with the motor contact 53,but, when the actuating arm 44 is depressed by a stationary protuberance29 (see FIGURES 5 and 6) in a stationary position, the actuating arm 44engages the relay contact 52 as seen in FIGURE 8. When the secondelectrical circuit closes through the first relay switch 46, the motor36 turns to cause rotation of the tray 13 in the direction of the arrowB (FIGURE 6) whereby the clip 19 passes the sensing switch 40 andreleases the activating arm 44. The released arm 44 moves to motorcontact 53 to close a fourth electrical circuit which ineludes thesensing switch 40 and the motor 36. The fourth electrical circuit isparallel with the first, second and third circuits between the points Cand D. Movement of the activating arm 44- opens the third electricalcircuit by disengagement from the relay contact 52 whereby the relaycoil 45 is disconnected from the power source 42 and deactivated. Upondeactivation of the relay coil 45, both relay switches 46, 47 return tothe open contacts 48, 50 respectively.

The motor 36 continues to turn until the next-in sequence protuberance29 engages the activating arm 44 (FIGURE 6) and deflects the activatingarm 44 out of engagement with the motor contact 53 and into engagementwith the relay contact 52. The motor 36, thereby disconnected from thepower source, is stopped and the circuitry is restored to the dwellrelationship shown in FIGURE 8.

Loading bins As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, a pivotal lid 11a is cut fromthe working surface 11 and hinged thereto with hinges 57. The pivotallid 11a is located remote from the front edge 20 to permit convenientremoval of the bins 14 and replacement or reloading thereof.

Combination with automatic work table As thus far described, the presentcomponent delivery table is the equivalent of those in the prior art,for example, as shown in US. Patent 3,154,865. Like the componentdelivery tables of the prior art, the present component delivery tablecan be utilized in combination with an automatic work assembly table ofthe type disclosed in my co-pending application S.N. 419,299, filed Dec.18, 1964. Such combination is illustrated in FIG URE 9.

Referring to FIGURE 9, an operator 18' is seated before the presentcomponent delivery table 10 upon which is mounted a work assembly table60 which has a base 61 and a circular rotatable tray 62. A plurality ofwork supporting blocks 63 are mounted on the top of the rotatable tray62 which serves as a work supporting surface. Each of the blocks 63supports an incomplete multicomponent article 17'. The work supportingsurface of the tray 62 is rotated about a vertical central axis wherebyeach of the incomplete articles 17' is presented in direct confrontationto the operator 18' in an assembly station which is indicated by theshaded region 8. The operator 18' performs a work operation on each ofthe incomplete articles 17' while that article remains in the assemblystation 8.

The individual work operation may comprise, for example, theinstallation of a specific resistor in each of the individual incompletearticles 17. The assembly operator 18' will obtain the necessarymaterial for performing the specific work operation from suitablecomponent delivery means such as the bins 14 which are sequentiallydelivered in confrontation to the operator 18. A pictorial reproductionof the article 17' is visually presented on the chart 15'. Thus theoperator 18' receives a supply of the component (to be installed) fromthe bins 14- and installs that component in each of the incompletearticles 17' in accordance with the visual instructions presented uponthe chart 15'. After one of the individual components is assembled onone of the incomplete articles 17, the operator depresses a treadleswitch 64 which causes the tray 62 to rotate for a fraction of onecomplete rotation until the next succeeding article 17' is presentedstationary in the assembly station 8.

After all of the incomplete articles 17' have received the desiredcomponent from the bin 14a which confronts the operator 18, thecomponent delivery table 10 is activated by the operator 18 depressingthe treadle switch 43 whereby the next-in-sequence one of the bins 14 ispresented in confrontation to the operator 18'. The operator 18thereupon depresses the treadle switch 64 and installs the contents ofthe then-confronting bin 14 into each of the incomplete articles 17 insequence.

With the present combination, the operator can assemsemble a pluralityof multi-component duplicate articles by performing the identical workoperation on each of the individual articles before proceeding tosuccessive work operations.

The work assembly table The work assembly table 60 has a base 61 whichmay comprise the rectangular sheet of wood, metal, plastic and the likewith a hub 65 fastened thereto by screws 66. A disk-like bearing block67 (for example, a nylon disk) fits into the hub 65. A shaft 68 rests onthe block 67 and is rotatable within the hub 65. The tray 62 ispreferably circular with a peripheral side wall skirt 69 and a centralaperture 70. A bolt 71 extends through the aperture 70 and is threadedlyengaged in the shaft 68 to provide rotatable mounting of the tray 62about a vertical axis shown by the broken line YY.

A plurality of roller bearings 72 is provided, each having an enlargedlower portion 73 and an upper portion 74 of lesser diameter. The rim ofthe side wall skirt 69 rests upon the upper surface of the large lowerportions 73 and is in peripheral engagement with the side walls of theupper portion 74 of the roller bearing 72 whereby the tray 62 isrotatably retained.

Driving means.A driving wheel 75 is mounted in peripheral engagementwith the inner surface of the side walls skirt 69. The drive wheel 75 isconnected through a gear reducing box 76 to an electric motor 77 whichis secured to the base 61 by screws as shown. Rotation of the drivewheel 75 in the direction of the arrow (FIG- URE causes rotation of thetray 62 in the direction of the arrow A.

Predetermining step-wise m'0vement.A plurality of spaced apertures 78 isprovided in the side wall skirt 69 for receiving suitable stop members79 which are clipped to the skirt 69 to extend beneath the fiat surfaceof the tray 62. The stop members 79 are provided at the same radialdistance from the vertical axis YY. During rotation of the tray 62, thestop members 79 pass through a circular locus which overlaps the path oftravel of an actuating arm 80 of a sensing switch 81 which is fastenedto the base 61.

The number of stop members 79 determines the number of stationary dwellperiods which are provided for each complete rotation of the tray 62.The circumferential spacing of the stop members 79 determines therelative distance between stationary positions.

Referring to FIGURE 9, it will be seen that a stop member 79a is clippedto the aperture 78a directly beneath the block 630. With the sensingswitch 81 located adjacent to the assembly station 8 (FIGURE 10), eachstop member 79 will create a stationary dwell for the work supportingsurface of the tray 62 when that stop member is centrally positioned inthe assembly station 8.

A suitable electromechanical relay 82 is fastened to the base 61 forpurposes which will be described in connection with the circuitrydiagram of FIGURE 12. A junction box 83 is shown as fastened to the base61 for electrically connecting the electrical circuit elements bysuitable wiring.

Electrical circuitry The electrical circuitry for the present rotatablework assembly table includes the relay 82, the motor 77, the sensingswitch 81 and the treadle switch 64. The relay 82 has a relay coil 84and two relay switches 85, 86 which are mechanically ganged as shown.The first switch 85 includes an open contact 87 and a motor contact 88.The second relay switch 86 includes an open contact 89 and a sensingcontact 90. A sensing switch 81 has a relay switch contact 91 and amotor contact 92. The treadle switch 64 has an open contact 93 and arelay coil contact 94. An electrical power source is designated by theplug 42 which is adapted for connection with the power supply.

The electrical circuitry shown in FIGURE 12 is illustrated in its normalposition representing switch positions during the stationary dwellperiod. It will be seen that neither the motor 77 nor the coil 84 of therelay 82 is connected to the power source.

The operator 18 activates the circuit by depressing the treadle switch64 to engage the contact 94 and close a first electrical circuitincluding the treadle switch 64 and the relay coil 84, thus sendingcurrent through the relay coil 84 and causing both relay switches 85, 86to move to activated positions at contacts 88, 90 respectively. A secondelectrical circuit is closed thereby including a conductor 95, the firstrelay switch 85 and the motor 77. Likewise a third electrical circuit isclosed including the sensing switch 81, the second relay switch 86 andthe relay coil 84. Through the third electrical circuit, the relay coil84 remains energized after the treadle switch 64 has disengaged from therelay contact 94 and returned to the open contact 93. The said first,second and third electrical circuits or paths are parallel with oneanother between the points E, F. The sensing sitch 81 is normally biasedto engagement with the motor contact 92, but, when the actuating arm isdeflected by a stop member 79 (FIGURE 10) in a stationary position, theactuating arm 80 engages the relay contact 91 as seen in FIGURE 12. Whenthe second electrical circuit closes through the first relay switch 85,the motor 77 turns to cause rotation of the tray 62 in the direction ofthe arrow A (FIGURE 10) whereby the stop member 79a passes the sensingswitch 81 and releases the activating arm 80. Thereby the arm 80 movesto motor contact 92 to close a fourth electrical circuit including thesensing switch 81 and the motor 77. The movement of the activating arm80 also opens the third electrical circuit by disengagement from therelay contact 91 whereby the relay coil 84 is disconnected from thepower source 42 and deactivated. Upon deactivation of the relay coil 84,both relay switches 85, 86 return to the open contacts 87, 89respectively.

The motor 77 continues to turn until the-next-in-sequence stop member 79engages the activating arm 86 (FIGURE 10) and the activating arm 80moves out of engagement with the motor contact 92 and into engagementwith the relay contact 91. The motor 77, thereby disconnected from thepower of source, is stopped and the circuitry is restored to therelationship shown in FIGURE 12.

Correlation of work assembly table with component delivery table Byreferring to FIGURE 9, it should be apparent that the operator 18' maysequentially depress the treadle switch 64 to cause rotation of the tray62 until the components from the bin 14a are introduced into each of theincomplete articles 17'. Thereupon the operator 18 may depress bothtreadle switches 43 and 64 to cause tray 62 to advance one position andto replace the confronting bin 14a with the-next-in-sequence componentbin which contains the components needed for the next sequential workoperation on the incomplete articles 17'.

-In a preferred combination of the work assembly table 60 and componentdelivery table 10, the treadle switch 43 can be eliminated orinactivated whereby the compo nent delivery table 10 will be actuatedautomatically upon one complete rotation of the work assembly table 60.This can be readily accomplished as seen in FIGURE 11 where a suitablestop member 96 is disposed on the under surface of the tray 62 betweenthe axis YY and the side wall skirt 69. Upon rotation of the tray 62,the stop member 96 describes a circular locus about the axis YY. Amicro-switch 97 is conveniently located so that its actuating arm 98 islocated within the locus of rotation of the o 0 Po 0,091,410

Ii stop member 96. Thus upon each complete rotation of the tray 62, thestop member 96 will pass the micro-switch 97 and engage the actuatingarm 98.

Referring to FIGURE 8, it should be apparent that the microswitch 97with its actuating arm 98 can be installed in parallel with the trcadleswitch 43 in the electrical circuitry there illustrated. The actuatingarm 98 will be normally biased into engagement with the open contact 99of the micro-switch 97. Upon engagement with the stop member 96, theactuating arm 98 will move into engagement with a relay contact 100whereby a fifth electrical circuit of FIGURE 8 is closed and the stepwise rotation of the tray 62 is commenced. The fifth elec trical circuitincludes the micro-switch 97 and the relay coil 45. The fifth electricalcircuit is parallel With the first, second, third and fourth electricalcircuit between the terminals C, D.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for assembly by a single operator of duplicate articles,each of the rnulti-component type, including:

a rotatable work assembly table including plural working stations and arotatable component delivery means including plural componentcontainers,

said rotatable work assembly table being adapted to deliver each of thesaid working stations sequentially into a working area which isaccessible to the operator;

said rotatable component delivery means being adapted to deliver each ofthe said component containers sequentially into the said working area;

switch means for rotating said work assembly table to advance thenext-in-sequence one of the said Working stations into the said workingarea;

switch means for rotating the said component delivery means to advancethe next-iusequence one of the said component containers into the saidWorking area,

and means connected with the said Work assembly table for activating thelast-mentioned switch means, whereby the said component delivery meansis rotated upon the complete rotation of the said work assembly table.

2. A component delivery table comprising:

a working surface having a front edge;

a rotatable tray having a circular base, an upright circular sidewalland an upper rim;

a plurality of individual bins, each supported by the said uprightsidewall outboard of the said tray;

said tray being retained beneath the said working surface for rotationabout a generally vertical axis of rotation coincident with the centerof the said base, the forwardmost one of said bins projecting forwardlybeyond the said front edge whereby the contents of such bin areaccessible for removal;

a clip bonding each said bin to the said sidewall and having aprotuberance extended inwardly toward the said axis of rotation;

drive means secured to the underside of the said working surface forrotating the said tray and the said bins as a unitary structure, saiddrive means including a drive wheel which is in peripheral engagementwith the inner surface of the said sidewall;

control means for activating the said drive means;

stop means secured to the underside of the said working surface inboardof the said sidewall and including switch means operatively coupled tosaid control means and adapted to be engaged with one said protuberanceat a time to arrest t 1Q rotation of the said tray.

3, A component delivery table comprising:

a working surface having a front edge;

a rotatable tray having a circular base, an upright circular sidewalland an upper rim;

a plurality of individual detachable bins, each supported by the saidupright sidewall outboard of the said tray;

said tray being retained beneath the said working surface for rotationabout a generally vertical axis of rotation coincident With the centerof the said base, the forwardmost one of said bins projecting forwardlybeyond the said front edge whereby the contents of such bin areaccessible for removal;

n position-indexing element removably associated with each said bin,said position-indexing element extending from said bin inwardly towardthe said axis of rotation;

drive means secured to the underside of said working surface inboard ofthe said sidewall for rotating the said tray and the said bins as aunitary structure;

control means for activating the said drive means;

stop means secured to the underside of the said working surface inboardof the said sidewall and including switch means engageabie with one saidpositionindexing element at a time to arrest the rotation of the saidtray only when the tray is in a position where an attached bin isdisposed in accessible relation to the said front edge of the workingsurface.

4. The component delivery table of claim 3 having an opening in the saidwork surface remote from the said front edge, to provide access to saidbins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,278,584 9/1918 Buchheit 108-941,490,326 4/1924 Joleen et al 108-21 2,209,858 7/1940 Steiert 108-212,890,088 6/1959 Lepry et al 108-20 3,142,269 7/1964 Keck 101-1033,154,865 11/1964 Conner 35-13 1,029,231 6/1912 Ryan 211-78 2,999,5029/1961 Ioyce 129-16 1,531,358 3/1925 Thompson 312-2341 EUGENE R.CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. W. NIELSEN, S. M. BENDER, Assistant Examiners.

